How to make a homemade jigsaw with your own hands from an ordinary electric jigsaw. How to make a homemade jigsaw machine Homemade jigsaw machine from a manual jigsaw

A desktop jigsaw is useful for every craftsman who cuts out thin details. However, it is far from always possible and meaningful to acquire a full-fledged machine. In this case, get down to business and do it yourself!

The device of the jigsaw machine - what lies inside?

Jigsaws are more about special tools than devices that are needed by both an experienced craftsman and an amateur who runs a garage. Their purpose is reduced to a special task, namely cutting out complex curvilinear contours from sheet materials. A special “chip” of such machines can also be attributed to the execution of the cut without violating the integrity of the external contour. Most often, sawing occurs on wood and derived materials (plywood, chipboard, fiberboard), although modern machines equipped with appropriate nail files are able to work with other materials, such as plastic or drywall.

Such equipment has found application in the music industry (manufacturing of musical instruments) and, of course, in the furniture industry. They buy such units and lovers of tinkering in their own workshop. The device of a traditional jigsaw machine, designed in accordance with all the rules, is as follows: the working surface on which the saw is placed hides the drive (electric motor) and the crank structure underneath. The tension mechanism can be located both below and above the machine.

To process a part, it must be placed on the desktop. Many models have the ability to rotate it at different angles to make bevel cuts. The stops and guides on the surface, as well as the swivel mechanism, can be marked, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the work. It is on the length of the desktop that the length of the cut depends - most models are limited to 30-40 cm. The power of the electric motor is an important, but still far from the most fundamental factor, since the machine has a huge margin of unclaimed power. For example, for a home workshop or even a small production, a “engine” of only 150 watts is enough.

The crank mechanism is a much more important detail, because in this case it is on it that the quality of the transmission of the drive torque into the reciprocating motion directed in the vertical plane by means of a file depends.

Standard jigsaw machines are considered devices with a range of motion in the region of 3-5 cm at an oscillation frequency of up to 1000 per minute. In many models, a change in speed mode is provided for different materials. The jigsaw itself is usually made up to 35 cm long and is able to cut material up to 10 cm thick. The width of the files can vary in a fairly wide range - from very thin two-millimeter to coarser ten-millimeter, with a thickness of 0.6 mm to 1.25 mm.

Even the thickest and widest nail file will break easily if you do not provide sufficient tension along the entire length of the nail file. For this, spring and helical springs are used. Quite often, such machines are equipped with an air pump, which cleans the cut from sawdust by blowing, as well as a drilling unit. The latter device is especially useful, because in this case the master does not need to be distracted by connecting an electric drill and drilling a hole - everything happens on the working plane of the machine. Of course, you have to pay for convenience!

How to make a jigsaw machine with your own hands from a manual jigsaw?

On the net you will find many different designs of homemade machines, but most of them come down to reprofiling into this machine. Using your ingenuity and watching the video, you can easily make a homemade jigsaw machine from this tool. You only need to modify the jigsaw a little. In fact, it plays the role of a machine drive and a crank mechanism, the rest needs to be thought out and implemented.

Of course, manufacturers are trying to please consumers in this area as well, offering their own platform options for quick and convenient rework, however, in reality, only you can make an apparatus that meets your needs. So, the first step is to make a support table, for which sheet metal is most often used. In it you need to make a slanted oblong hole for the saw blade and holes for fasteners (countersunk screws are recommended), and attach the jigsaw to the bottom of the support table.

This design can only be strengthened on a wooden table. You can go beyond this and install guide rails. The convenience of such a device lies in the fact that in addition to performing functions that are not entirely inherent in it, you can always disconnect the drive and turn it back into a manual electric jigsaw with a flick of the wrist! If you constantly need this tool for work, it makes sense specifically for the machine - it will be cheaper than spending money on a real machine.

Advantages and disadvantages - we continue to modify!

But such an assembly inherits not only the advantages of the tool, but also its disadvantages, in particular, a nail file that is too wide for filigree work, which significantly limits the curvature of the lines. If there is a need for this, there is a way out. So far, our machine differs from the classic jigsaw unit in the absence of springs that would provide sufficient tension for the nail file. But to build a simple rocker, which on the one hand will be under the tension of the springs, and on the other hand fixed on a nail file, is quite easy.

There is another option - to clamp the nail file between two guide rollers, but the first option is still more reliable. Do not forget to turn off the pendulum stroke on the jigsaw before you start using a homemade machine. There is another design - if your tool is powerful enough, then it can only serve as a drive in a design of two rocker arms, between which a nail file is stretched. The movement is transmitted by means of a nail file fixed on the lower rocker arm.

Machine from a sewing machine - we give a second life to old tools!

If you inherited a foot or hand sewing machine from your grandmother or mother, consider yourself the owner of an excellent jigsaw machine! Of course, for this you need to “conjure” a little over the machine. First, remove the thread weaving device, which is usually located at the bottom of the machine. There is nothing complicated in this, it is enough to unscrew the two bolts. Then we knock out the cotter pin and remove the drive shaft leading to the thread weaving mechanism.

Having unscrewed the top panel that protects the mechanisms, it is necessary to expand the slot in which the needle went. Focus on the needs and width of the nail file that you will use in your work. Jigsaw blades of this kind also need to be slightly modified, namely cut to the maximum length of the needle that could be used on this machine. After grinding off the upper teeth and sharpening the lower part on the point, you just have to insert the nail file into the needle holder and test your machine in action!

Here is the general scheme of the jigsaw machine.

I had a homemade machine tool, I have already briefly written about it. Since I am a furniture maker, I made it from the remnants of LMDF. Cheap and cheerful :). I did not care at all about the appearance, as long as I worked. And he did a good job! On it, I understood all the nuances of sawing out of solid wood, such as walnut, oak, ash. Everything would be fine, but at the drive, and they were served by a Krees 350W construction jigsaw. 15 years of experience! At the drive, the speed regulator has "covered itself", it turns on immediately to the maximum and immediately tears the file. I did not find a native proprietary regulator. What kind of regulators I have not tried, and dimmers for chandeliers and regulators from shv. machines, vacuum cleaners. The desired result, namely a wide range of adjustment, I could not achieve.

The photo shows the principle of operation of the jigsaw. the construction jigsaw transmits oscillatory movements to the rocker, on which, in turn, the file is fixed.

In the end, I gave up. The Moor has done his job, the Moor must go. I decided to buy a new jigsaw drive. All Chinese versions of jigsaws are not suitable, adjustment on them is one name. I found what I was looking for in the Makita brand store. Jigsaw 450 W. Wide range of adjustment, and does not yell like Chinese jigsaws! Quietly works!

Here is my new drive, Makita 4327.

I found a new drive, but it didn’t work to put it in place of the old one, the height is not suitable. I decided, rather than redo it, it is better to make a new one, taking into account the elimination of the inconveniences identified in the process of working on the old one.

1. Increase the clearance from the file to the frame (on the old one it was 27 cm.) For this you need an elongated rocker.

2. Increase the vertical stroke of the saw blade for good chip removal. (on the old one, the saw stroke is 18mm.)

3. Appearance! Schaub was not ashamed to take pictures. :)

And so! machine is ready!

Here is my new machine!

The clearance from the file to the frame is 45cm! 30mm vertical stroke! Dream!

Trial cutting. The result is excellent! The Makita regulator does a great job. The machine works by noise like a household sewing machine.

If you are into carving and making figurines or parts out of wood, plastic or similar material, you cannot do without a tool whose name is reminiscent of the distant Soviet past: this is a jigsaw.

Jigsaw jigsaw strife, now on sale there are both "pioneer" elementary manual models, and modern electric tools that only remotely resemble familiar saws.

You can also make a jigsaw yourself: in the technical literature and the network, many diagrams and drawings of electric jigsaws are offered.

It is not difficult to make such a device, and you will get significant benefits from it. You will be able to independently engage in the production of furniture you need and realize the most daring creative ideas for the interior.

An example of the manufacture of a jigsaw machine.

Homemade jigsaw for you to professionally make smooth details of the most bizarre shapes. First you need to decide on the most suitable design for you.

Technical description and components

The schematic diagram of any jigsaw machine is the same for different models.

It must include the following parts:

  • file;
  • drive with a power of about 150 W;
  • rocker for tensioning the file;
  • working surface with graduation;
  • drilling block, etc.

Consumables are fixed on the working surface. In advanced models, there are special devices for rotary movements of the part, in which the working surface can change the angle of inclination.

The dimensions of the surface will depend on your production and creative plans: the larger the parts you are going to cut, the larger your production table should be. Traditional sizes are usually around 30 - 40 cm.

The types of saw blades are varied. They depend primarily on the consumable material. The dimensions of the parts for cutting are also important. Conventional saw blades for working with wood have a length of about 35 - 40 cm. They are able to saw parts made of wood or plastic with a thickness of no more than 100 mm.

With different types of materials, saw blades also change, mainly regarding their width: from 2 to 10 mm. Files can vary in the type of their tails - with or without pins. They are fixed in a special device for their tension and even sawing. To do this, they have spring-type springs.

Another important one: the crank assembly. Its function is difficult to overestimate: it is he who transmits the movement from the drive to the file, turning the rotational movement into translational.

Assembly drawing of a jigsaw machine.

Due to this, the file begins to oscillate with a high frequency, the speed of such oscillations is on average about 800 - 1000 rpm. It is important to remember about the amplitude of vertical vibrations, it should not exceed 50 mm.

In advanced modern jigsaw models, the speed varies depending on the type of consumable. Most desktop models operate in two speed modes. Most often it is 600 and 1000 rpm.

Model range of jigsaw machines

Most often, in its electric drive power, the range of values ​​​​is huge: from 90 to 500 watts.

Also, these devices are divided into varieties based on their fundamental design:

  • universal;
  • on suspension;
  • with graduation;
  • with a caliper in the lower position;
  • with double support.

Jigsaws with bottom support

Scheme of machine design elements.

The most used and popular models are machines with a lower support. Their feature is the division of the working frame into the upper and lower parts.

While the upper section contains only one sawing and cleaning device, the lower section contains many working elements: an electric motor, a switch, a transmission unit and a control unit. This design makes it possible to cut sheets of materials of almost any size.

Machines with double support

A home-made jigsaw with a double caliper differs from the lower caliper by the presence in the upper section of a special additional bar and a desktop with the ability to change the angle of inclination and overall height.

These models are designed to work with oversized parts. Such a machine is easier to make than the previous model. There are limitations in the materials with which you can work on it: their thickness should not exceed 80 mm.

Hanging machines

The name speaks for itself: the model is mobile, it works without a frame. The fundamental point in this design is the movement of the cutting file, and not the consumable. The module itself is attached to the ceiling, the saw is set in motion manually.

All this gives serious advantages: in this way you can create the most complex patterns, the surface dimensions are not limited by anything.

Graduated devices

The presence of stops and a degree scale make it possible to work according to technical drawings, without the slightest error.

Universal machines

Such devices are usually called electric jigsaw. Their feature is the ability to perform several operations such as grinding, polishing, sawing, etc.

How to make a jigsaw machine with your own hands?

We will not stop at the manufacture of the simplest machines: you can easily find such manuals with video support on the net. Let's talk about homemade jigsaw machines.

Assembling the machine with your own hands.

Here is the sequence of work for their manufacture:

  • We make a bed from plywood sheet or plastic.
    The main thing is that the thickness should not be less than 12 mm. The function of the bed is a foundation, a working surface and a place for fixing mechanisms and an electric motor.
  • We place a special rocking chair with an eccentric on the opposite side.
    We connect them using a metal bar with bearings. All fasteners in the design are screw.
  • We make installation of an intermediate shaft.
    To do this, you need to prepare two bearings, put the pulley on the shaft as tightly as possible, then carefully fasten it with screws. Similar actions are performed with an eccentric.
  • At the rocking chair, the amplitude of movements should change.
    To do this, you need to change the place of attachment of the screw, for which we drill exactly four threaded holes on the eccentric flange. The holes should be located at different distances from the axis. With a change in the place of attachment of the screw, the swing of the amplitude of the rocking chair will change.
  • We make a rocking chair: this is nothing more than wooden rocker arms, into whose rear ends the screws that you built in the previous paragraph are inserted, these are tension screws.
    The rocker arms themselves are hinged to the rack. We fix the file on the front ends of the rocker arms. The previous and present stages must be carried out with special attention and care. The fact is that fastening the file is a fundamentally important thing. Rocker arms with plates are subjected to constant loads during movement due to their rigid screed with screws.
  • For a rocking chair you need a stand.
    It will be better if it is made from a whole piece of material. We make a groove for the first rocker arm on the top of the rack. From the lower end we have a special rectangular opening for the second rocker arm.

Your . We wish you cool ideas and their high-quality implementation.

Having made a jigsaw with your own hands, you will not only get a practical tool, but also save money: it will be much cheaper than the factory counterpart, while having a full range of functions. A home-made electric jigsaw will allow you to create complex-shaped products from wood, plastic and other materials, the production of which with a hand tool under normal conditions would take a lot of time and effort.

A homemade jigsaw allows you to make cuts of complex shapes.

You should consider the structure and sequence of manufacturing a simple desktop electric jigsaw, assembly features and the procedure for working with it.

How is a desktop jigsaw arranged?

As the name implies, this tool is designed to be placed on the surface of a desktop or workbench. Compact dimensions allow you to work with a jigsaw both in the workshop or garage, and at home. An electric jigsaw is an indispensable tool for making complex wood ornaments, figured plywood carvings, and the like.

Kinematic diagram of the jigsaw drive.

It is necessary to consider in more detail the structure of a factory-made desktop jigsaw. This will allow you to understand the main features of the device and apply them in a homemade model.

The components of an electric jigsaw can be divided into 3 parts:

  • movable frame with a saw;
  • fixed base;
  • Electrical engine.

The principle of operation of the tool is as follows: an electric motor rotates a crank mechanism, which converts rotational movements into reciprocating ones. Movements are transmitted to a movable frame on which the saw is stretched.

A homemade device works using the same principle. To simplify the design, the movable frame can be replaced with a conventional manual jigsaw.

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Details for an electric jigsaw

When assembling an electric jigsaw, it is important to find a suitable motor that will drive the working tool - the saw. For this purpose, a motor from a drill, blender, food processor or other equipment of the same type is excellent.

The jigsaw frame is best made from aluminum pipe.

The movable frame is made of metal profiles, wooden planks or slats made of durable plastic. It is most convenient to work with square-section aluminum tubes, as they are easy to process, light in weight and have a significant margin of safety.

To fix the jigsaw in the desired position, a reliable frame made of wood or metal should be made for it. The dimensions of the frame do not have much effect on the operation of the jigsaw. They depend only on which version of the tool you need - a compact desktop or full-size, installed on the floor.

The jigsaw table is made from a thick sheet of plywood, in which a small diameter hole is made where the file will move (Fig. 2).

Between the case and the table place a gasket made of elastic material - rubber or leather, which will dampen the vibration.

There is also an easier option on how to make a homemade jigsaw. It consists in the fact that a manual electric jigsaw is mounted in a vertical position in a table-stand, while its file is attached tightly to the movable guide rails - levers.

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Assembling a desktop jigsaw

The design of a homemade jigsaw begins with the assembly of the body, which can be made of plywood, chipboard or metal. The simplest model of this tool can do without a case, but in this case strong vibrations occur, which can significantly affect the comfort of work. In this case, two holes are made in the jigsaw - one for attaching the crank to the tool, the second for movable fixation of the jigsaw itself to the table. After starting the engine, the jigsaw begins to produce reciprocating movements that contribute to sawing the material.

Such a spring will provide the desired tension on the jigsaw saw.

A more elaborate model includes two separate strips, at the ends of which wing nuts are installed. From the opposite end, the bars are pulled together by a strong spring, which ensures a constant tension of the saw. Such a device works from a separate engine or, for example, from a drill.

A vertical bar runs inside the case, which is fixedly attached to its bottom or one of the walls. Two holes are made in it, the distance between which should be 2-3 cm less than the length of a standard file. Bolts or studs are threaded into the holes, on which straps are put on to hold the file.

The engine is built into the body and is attached to the lower bar by means of a disk with a connecting rod mechanism. A table with a hole for a saw acts as a housing cover.

The main drawback of a jigsaw with a separate engine lies in its most intricate part - the crank mechanism. The file with it makes not only vertical, but also inclined movements, which cannot but affect the accuracy of cutting. If you want to get an accurate tool, then it is better to replace the engine with an inexpensive factory-made manual electric jigsaw. It is fixed under the surface of the case and a file is threaded through the table, clamping it with one end in a jigsaw, and with the other in the upper bar of the structure. This design provides sufficient cutting accuracy, bringing this parameter closer to factory models.

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Advantages of working with an electric jigsaw

The electric jigsaw allows you to make complex cuts very accurately.

Unlike hand tools, an electric jigsaw has clear advantages, including:

  • higher speed of work;
  • the ability to work with two hands, thereby increasing accuracy;
  • safety - with the right organization of work, a stationary tool is much safer, because it cannot escape from the hands.

In addition, self-production of an electric jigsaw will save money, since factory machines of this type are quite expensive.

In the previous article, we talked about how you can make it yourself, that is, the cutting element is a thin, flexible file that is tensioned with a spring. It is very convenient to make a figured cut with such a tool - all kinds of curves, radius saws. However, in a carpentry shop, there is generally a need for sawing in a straight line at various angles. For such tasks, the aforementioned machine will be inconvenient, so we bring to your attention a new design, designed specifically for even and straight cuts.

Introduction

Classification

There are two main constructive approaches to solving such a problem, they are divided according to their location in space:

  • up;
  • down.

The first option will be described by us a little later, since at the time of writing this article it is in our development at the prototype and design stage, but the second option will be described in this article.

Purpose

This design is quite versatile and has a wide range of applications from household (at home) to use for industrial purposes (carpentry workshops, furniture workshops, etc.). Versatility is determined by the fact that the machine is built on the basis, which is a common hand-held power tool and almost every master owns it, as it is compact and multifunctional. With it, you can prepare blanks from various types of materials:

  • solid wood;
  • plastics

other.

Advantages

Compared to the standard method of use, this device allows you to achieve one, but very important parameter - the evenness of the cut. Sawing off quickly and somehow can be quite simple, putting the workpiece on a horizontal surface, hanging the part to be sawn off, and sawing off. But there is no need to talk about the quality of the cut, no matter what the master. Our design allows:

  • make a simple even cut (strictly in a straight line);
  • trim the workpiece at a clearly defined angle - 90 ° and other arbitrarily specified angles;
  • make a straight saw at an angle to the plane of the workpiece, when it is not perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece, but has a different, pre-set angle, for example 45 °.

Basic construct

The device is not tricky and consists of several main elements:

  • base;
  • guide;
  • swivel stop.

All structural parts are made of plywood or solid wood.

Here is a little help on, it may come in handy.

Nominal plywood thickness, mm Number of layers of plywood, not less than Sanded plywood Rough plywood
Maximum deviation, mm Different-thickness Maximum deviation, mm Different-thickness
3 mm 3 +0,3/-0,4 0,6 +0,4/-0,3 0,6
4 mm 3 +0,3/-0,5 +0,8/-0,4 1,0
6 mm 5 +0,4/-0,5 +0,9/-0,4
9 mm 7 +0,4/-0,6 +1,0/-0,5
12 mm 9 +0,5/-0,7 +1,1/-0,6
15 mm 11 +0,6/-0,8 +1,2/-0,7 1,5
18 mm 13 +0,7/-0,9 +1,3/-0,8
21 mm 15 +0,8/-1,0 +1,4/-0,9
24 mm 17 +0,9/-1,1 +1,5/-1,0
27 mm 19 +1,0/-1,2 1,0 +1,6/-1,1 2,0
30 mm 21 +1,1/-1,3 +1,7/-1,2

Making tooling for a straight saw with an electric jigsaw

This section will describe step-by-step instructions for manufacturing the product. The whole process is divided into three stages of manufacturing structural elements:

  • base;
  • guide;
  • swivel stop.

For the manufacture we need the material:

  • solid wood of coniferous breeds;
  • various fasteners (mainly wood screws, furniture fittings, studs, etc.)

and the following tool will also be used:

  • Milling machine;
  • Circular saw or machine from;
  • Drilling machine;
  • grinding machine ();
  • Electric jigsaw with;
  • Various hand tools.

guide

To make a guide, you need to take a board of the following sizes:

It must slide along the guide, so the features of the guide plate (in technical slang - “sole”) are very important.

We make the markup of the guide blank.

Then you need to select a groove with a router, which will be the guide along which the sole of the jigsaw will move during the sawing process.

We manufacture end stops. Then they need to be glued to limit the movement of the jigsaw along the guide, as shown in the photo.

We check the smoothness of the jigsaw along the guide and in case of defects or burrs that impede the course, remove them.

Next, you need to make cylindrical bushings to prevent jamming of wood when clamped with fixing screws. Bushings can be made from aluminum tube with a diameter of 10mm. We drill holes and press bushings into them. This completes the production of the guide.

Base

The base, by and large, is just a box, which is the basis for attaching the guide and the rotary stop, and most importantly, it raises the entire structure above the level () so that it does not get damaged.

The assembly of the box is simple and unpretentious - the upper base is made of and the sides are made of the same or solid wood. So, we cut out the sides.

And we attach them to the base to make a box, as shown in the photo.

Further, into the drilled holes in the base, we screw in the M6 ​​or M8 furniture fittings.

We screw the studs into them and install the guide.

We make a cut of the working groove, as shown in the photo.

We cut out an expanded groove for the possibility of sawing at an angle. It should be noted that when sawing at an angle, you need a rather long

We fix the direct stop with screws, make a hole and install an M6 or M8 furniture fitting for fixing the rotary stop. See photo below.

On this, we consider the manufacture of the base to be completed.

Swivel stop

The design of the stop is simple and unpretentious, it is a guide with a semicircular element glued to it for fixing on the base.

We install the stop using a bolt of the appropriate diameter. The head of the bolt can be "planted" in a convenient handle so as not to use a wrench every time. We also fix the guide with homemade nuts made from mortise wing nuts.

At this point, we consider the sawing machine ready.

We hope that the presented material was useful to you.

Conclusion

We have made a universal device for a straight cut based on a household electric jigsaw, which should rightfully take its rightful place in your workshop among the tools.